14 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN April/May 2024 Be Prepared! Managing Heat Stress in Feedlots KELSEY POPE | CONTRIBUTING WRITER Weather is arguably one of the most talked about, researched and stressed over topic among cattle producers. With rising temperatures on the horizon, it’s a reminder for producers, specifically feedlot operators, to be prepared for heat stress in cattle and the impact heat has on cattle performance. Cattle do not adapt nearly as quickly to heat events as humans do. In preparing for severe events, we must consider both the humans working with cattle as well as the cattle themselves. Impact of Temperature Swings Nebraska Extension Specialist in Animal Care and Handling Ruth Woiwode works with livestock producers across all sectors, focusing on stockmanship, worker safety as well as how workers’ skill is related to welfare and their performance. “We tolerate those 80-degree days in the spring much better than cattle,” Woiwode says. “If we’re thinking about how to plan ahead, what’s really important is to be watching those 10day forecasts, looking for that combination of low wind speed, humidity and high temperature.” Cattle have the ability to adapt ideally at about 1 degree per day, responding best to gradual changes in temperature. When we think about heat, we think summer, but we’ve seen some pretty severe temperature swings already this spring, going from negative temperatures to 80 degrees – a drastic change that is difficult for cattle to handle. This is particularly difficult when they still have their winter hair and a black hair coat, making them more susceptible to solar radiation. “You have to be watching the weather forecast constantly,” says Kip Lukasiewicz, DVM. “In particular, you should be always looking at the next three days in front of you because you have ultimately 24 hours to implement water to your cattle if you know it’s coming.” Lukasiewicz has already seen heat stressed animals this spring when the temperature swung from -40 to nearly 80 degrees in a short time. Lukasiewicz is a consulting veterinarian with Production Animal Consultation (PAC). The consultants at PAC oversee about 3.2 million head of cattle on feed and more than one million cows in the four-state region of Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and Iowa, visiting yards on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. “We have to start implementing strategies now to combat heat stress,” Lukasiewicz says. “Because we’ve seen temperatures warm up earlier this spring, we’ve started seeing flies earlier than usual. Typically, we would start fly control later, but starting fly control now will help when those hot days hit this summer.” Fly control is important not only because stable flies are a nuisance but also because flies tend to cause cattle to bunch and not spread out, causing more issues when the heat index rises. Start With a Plan Having a plan for an upcoming heat event starts with important strategies to keep cattle cool, including additional water sources, preventing crowding, processing times, shades and air flow. “Shade is a great way to reduce solar radiation, but may not necessarily change air temperature,” Woiwode states. “And if they’re not high enough, they can reduce wind speed. We’d like to see those the higher the better, even as high as 14 feet.” Airflow “I would put airflow at the top of importance when it comes to preparation,” Woiwode says. “Without enough airflow and too much humidity, cattle do not have the ability to dissipate heat through evaporative cooling [sweating].” Water sprinklers can be a good tool for cooling cattle and the ground they lay on; however, if there is no air movement PRODUCTION
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